https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/fires-involving-active-mobility-devices-rise-again-total-number-of-blazes-up-86-in-2023-scdf

These fires increased by 31 per cent to 55 cases in 2023, up from 42 fires in 2022.

SINGAPORE - More fires involving active mobility devices (AMDs) raged in 2023 compared with 2022, marking the rise of such blazes again after three years.

These fires – involving personal mobility devices (PMDs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility aids – increased by 31 per cent to 55 cases in 2023, up from 42 fires in 2022.

In June 2023, a 17-year-old boy died after a fire broke out in a Yishun flat. It had started from a PMD.

The latest numbers reverse the trend in AMD fires, which had been steadily dropping from 2019 to 2022.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said such fires were a key fire safety concern in releasing its annual statistics report on Feb 21.

It said: “Members of the public are reminded to remain vigilant when handling their AMDs, as these fires can result in serious injuries and damage to property.”

Assistant Commissioner (AC) Michael Chua, director of SCDF’s operations department, said at SCDF’s press briefing that such fires persist despite regulatory measures.

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“Several (fires) are due to people tampering with the batteries, because they are using the PMDs for delivery... many of them have been tampering to increase the duration and usage for these batteries,” said AC Chua.

There were more fires in 2023 with 1,954 cases in total, an 8.6 per cent increase from 1,799 cases in 2022.

The top two causes were electrical fires and unattended cooking, with 597 and 456 cases respectively.

The majority of AMD blazes – a type of electrical fire – happened in homes, with 35 cases in 2023.

On Oct 28 that year, three residents and a firefighter were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in an HDB flat at Block 326A Sumang Walk, most likely caused by the battery pack of a PAB charging in the living room, SCDF had said then.